Cardiff’s Bay and Barrage: From the Norwegian Church to Penarth

(11 reviews)

Cardiff audio tour: Cardiff’s Bay and Barrage: From the Norwegian Church to Penarth

This is a 1.3mi walking tour

It takes an average of 60 mins to complete.

Cardiff

The United Kingdom

$9.99

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About the Tour

Cardiff is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, which has been shaped by residents and visitors alike. On this walking tour around some of Cardiff Bay’s most famous landmarks, you’ll hear the stories of those people, and the legacies they have left. You’ll also discover how an extraordinary vision transformed Cardiff Bay into a fascinating and popular tourist destination.

Starting on Cardiff’s vibrant modern waterfront, this tour highlights the importance of Cardiff Dock during the industrial revolution. Having lived in and around the city all my life, I’ve witnessed several extraordinary changes that have taken place here. Working in tourism has allowed me to access places that the public don’t always get to visit, and given me a wealth of information that I’m delighted to share with you.

Highlights on this 60-minute tour include hearing about:

The Norwegian Church and why there were so many Norwegian sailors in Cardiff
How Tiger Bay got its name
What an Italian man and Flatholm Island have to do with safety at sea
The Story of Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his connection to the city
Pit Ponies in the coal mines
Cardiff’s most unusual accommodation block
Cardiff Bay Barrage control and locks

This tour is a valuable introduction to Cardiff’s bay and barrage, whether you’re a first-time visitor or a local who’s curious to learn more about the city. There are plenty of cafes at either end of the route for a quick (or lengthy) stop, so allow at least an hour for this walk.

Tour Producer

Sarah Salter

9 tours

Sarah Salter is an experienced professional tourist guide and founder of Sarah's Wales. She welcomes guests from across the world as they discover the very best Wales has to offer. Sarah combines elements of history, culture, humour and storytelling to conjure up an unforgettable experience.

Her mission is to make every tour educational, enjoyable and above all entertaining. She enjoys researching the unusual and unexpected details about any destination. She particularly enjoys social history weaving stories of people through the ages into her tours. Alongside this she throws in a careful blend of contemporary culture and everyday Welsh life to demonstrate the real Wales.

Sarah is based in the capital city of Wales, surrounded by beautiful beaches, rolling green hills and castles - there are over 640 in Wales! She spends her spare time tramping footpaths, clambering over castle ruins and beach combing with her family and dog as they explore beautiful Wales together.

Preview Location

Location 2

Scott Memorial

Stop here please and look at this memorial to Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his team of men who sailed from Cardiff Bay on 15th June 1910 on their fated expedition to the Antarctic. Their ship, Terra Nova left as crowds of Cardiff residents lined the dock to watch this mome... Read More

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Major Landmarks

Norwegian Church Arts Centre
The Scott Antarctic Memorial
voco St. David's Cardiff
International Sports Village
Cardiff Bay Barrage
Roald Dahl - The Enormous Crocodile
Penarth Pier
The Old Custom House

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Bay, Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Harbour Dr, Cardiff CF10 4PA, UK
Total distance

2km
Final location
Barrage Rd, Penarth CF64, UK
Distance back to start location

2km

Directions to Starting Point

This tour starts at the Norwegian Church on Cardiff Bay's waterfront. Head to the waterfront and turn left. The white church with black roof and spire is a prominent landmark. The tour starts in front of the church. Stand between the church and the waterfront railings.

What3words: visits.tides.before
Address: Norwegian Church, Harbour Drive, Cardiff Bay, CF10 4PA

There is a limited amount of parking adjacent to the church. There is a larger multi-storey car park 5 minutes walk away at Pierhead Street. Q-Park Cardiff Bay Car Park, Pierhead Street, Cardiff CF10 4PH

Take the train from Cardiff Queen Street Station to Cardiff Bay or Cardiff Bus Number 6 from Cardiff City Centre.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

There are plenty of places to stop and have a snack or a coffee at the start of this walk. A little further along the route there is a lovely sandy children's play park, a skatepark, outdoor gym and grassy areas to sit and relax. There are benches halfway along this route. The route itself is flat, level and even. There are a couple of exhibitions along the route. You may wish to pause the tour briefly whilst you take a look.

Best time of day

Daylight all year round. However its best not to do it on a very wet or windy day.

Precautions

Visitors need to be aware of cyclists in the area. There are sections of the walk that are shared with cyclists and areas where cyclists may be encountered unexpectedly. While all reasonable care has been taken to provide a safe walking route, please practice due caution.

Sunblock, sunhat and umbrella could all be useful on this tour. Cardiff is a lovely safe city but as with all cities do not leave bags or bicycles unattended.

The tour follows a linear route. Participants will either retrace their steps or take one of the alternative options mentioned at the end of the tour.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”

Google Play Store

Last Updated

4 Dec 2025

Questions and Reviews

4.6 / 5

11 Ratings

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